Nigel Whitfield’s digital TV & technology blog

Netflix arrives on UK Samsung SmartTV

Like many people, I suspect, I’ve been waiting eagerly for Netflix, and specifically for the client for Samsung’s SmartTV system. This morning, I was in luck – going into the SmartTV section, I was prompted for an update, which added Netflix in the ‘Recommended’ section of the App list.

Netflix on the Samsung SmartTV hub

That’s not all you need to do, however. After updating the SmartTV software, launching Netflix prompted me to update the TV’s firmware, and told me what buttons to press. You can go directly there, which many users might be tempted to do, while the instructions are on screen.

Unfortuantely, you can’t do that – if SmartTV is running, then you can’t update the firmware, so you need to back right out of it to the live TV signal, before you can update the firmware. That took my set from version 001018 to 001021. It takes a few minutes, and after that, you can go back in and start the Netflix app.

You’ll be asked if you’ve signed up, and if you say no, you then have to fire up a browser on your PC or Mac, and register for the trial that way; once that’s been done, you can sign in on the TV with your email address and password.

Sign up on your PC or Mac to activate NetflixSign in with an email address and password

It’s worth noting that, though the default way of signing up is via your Facebook account, there’s a link just below to register with an email address instead, so you don’t end up annoying your friends by constantly advertising Netflix to them. The default option selected when you finally get into Netflix proper on the TV is once again to link to your Facebook id, so they’re clearly pretty keen for you to do it.

Netflix seems keen for you to link to your Facebook account

I’m writing a more in depth piece for Register Hardware, which I’ll link to when it’s live.

37 thoughts on “Netflix arrives on UK Samsung SmartTV”

What TV are you using? I’ve just updated my brothers UE55D8000 but I can’t find Netflix anywhere – it appears when I search from the Smart Hub under the category of ‘Samsung Apps’ but when I select it the App Store loads to the main page.

this is what samsung told me
Dear Carl
Thank you for contacting Samsung.
Netflix has only currently been released on the D7000 and the D8000.
Therefore you will not be able to receive netflix at the moment. We hope
that Netflix will be available for your tv in the near future.
If you require any further assistance, please contact Samsung again and
we will be more than happy to help.
Kind regards,
Michael
Online Support Team
SAMSUNG Customer Support Centre

Dear Carl,
Thank you for contacting Samsung.
At present the Netflix app is only available for the D7000 and D8000
TVs-this is not set to change.
If you require any further assistance, please contact Samsung again and
we will be more than happy to help.
Kind regards,
Anthony

Unforunately, that’s often the way with these technologies; my Panasonic V10 is one of the first generation VieraCast sets, so can’t get much of the new stuff, including any of the paid content like Acetrax. And, of course, they’re never going to give a guarantee of future compatiblity.

You don’t get that with computers, for example, and that’s effectively what these smart TVs are. Unfortunately, they aren’t sold as computers, but as TVs, and aren’t upgradable like computers. So people buy them – quite justifiably so – in the same way they buy TVs, expecting many years’ use.

I’m not defending companies that do this – Samsung and Panasonic aren’t alone – by any means. But I do think that you will have little, if any, joy by complaining to them, sadly.

thanks, you make a good point.but i cannot understand first getting told that Netflix app will be on the 6000 series in the very near future.,then getting told my be not could you get in touch and get an anwer for us 6000 tv owners ,
thanks carl

I have been having the same issues and have the series 6. I changed my country setting in smart hub to USA and it removed all uk pass for USA and guess what Netflix installed. Reverted back to uk and it was gone again!!!! How messed up is that?

I use to have a Samsung i8910 and Samsung never supported it,at the time was the first hd recording phone. I learnt then that Samsung support was a let down. But this could be a Netflix issue due to country settings

Called Netflix 0800 number very helpful lady, she looked up the model I have and said its down to Samsung not updating the region settings for the application as I explained the app installed and worked when I set my tv to USA but once changed back to UK it uninstalled it!, she said she would email the engineering team worth emailing Samsung anyone having the same issue

I have a Samsung UE46D5520 which I paid £800 for. I can’t get Netflix on it.

Cancelling Netflix.

This ‘Smart TV’ is a bit of a con really… the apps are rubbish and I don’t think I’ve really needed any of the features other than streaming content from a NAS… which I now rarely do owing to having a Mac Mini connected to it full time…

I have a UE40C6540SK – I have downloaded the latest firmware but the TVwill not upgrade and is clearly a few versions old in the firmware department. Says there is no update available via the network connection either.

Does the TV need to be unplugged from everything but the power source and network to get this to work?

It tells me to go to menu, support, software update, by online to update my Netflix. However when I do ths, there are NO updates :(. I am getting very frustrated as all I want to do is watch a Netflix film on my TV !!

Hi, i have a Samsung Smart Tv. The model number is UE46D5520RKXXU. Numerous websites have told me to update the television. However, it says there is nothing available. I can’t find netflix on the samsung apps. Please tell me what i need to do in order for it to work.
Thank you.

I have tried updating online and no updates are available.
I have downloaded latest firmware from the samsung site and tried installing it via USB
I have tried resetting the tv
I have tried loading a different country
I have wiped everything and started again.

Still no netflix, its driving me insane.

What on earth do I have to do to be able to access netflix via my TV.

I have a Samsung UE46D8000
Software version (at the moment) T-GAP8EUC-1018.1, BT-G

Netflix always shows up in the apps but keeps asking me to upgrade and when I try it says there are no upgrades.

Hi,
I have a Samsung UE46D6530WK and tried to install Netflix app with no joy so checked out this forum and installed the latest firmware and followed the instructions to the letter but still no Netflix app anywhere ? I also have a LG 46 Smart TV in the living room which I purchased last year and have no problems with it regarding apps, so my next tv to replace the Samsung in the bedroom will be an LG.

Archives

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.